Means for securing center pivots to axles in guns.



- 00.. 700,633. PatentedMay 20, 1902.

G. EHRHARDT.

I MEANS FOR SECURING CENTER PIVOTS T0 A'XLES IN GUNS.

( Application filed Jan. 8, 1902.

UNITED STATES PATENT O F CE.

GUSTAV EHRHARDT, OF EISENAGH, GERMANY.

MEANS FOR SECURING CENTERPIVOTS TO AXLE S IN GUNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 700,633, dated May 20,1902.

Application filed January 8, 1902. Serial No. 88,914. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUSTAV EHRHARDT, engineer, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Eisenach, in the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, GermanEmpire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means forSecuring Center Pivots to Axles in Guns, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a means forsecuring the center pivot in guns. Ascompared with an arrangement hitherto known,in which the center pivot issecured by means of balls which at the same time serve as bearing-balls,the present arrangement possesses the advantage that the strong upwardthrust arising while the gun is traveling is safely taken up by a largeflat surface.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein I Figure 1shows a lateral elevation in section of a gun with thecenter-pivot-securing arrangement. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectionthrough the center pivot bearing or socket. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectionthrough the same, and Fig. 4 a securing-segment in plan andcross-section.

The pivot Ct is provided with a peripheral groove,which,as illustratedin the accompany: ing drawings, is of rectangular section b. Thepivot-bearing c has a similar groove (see Fig. 2) at the same level.side of the bearing is provided with an inter nally-screw-threaded hole6. This hole is closed by the plug f,- screwed into it, and serves forthe introduction of the various segments g into the recess-formed by thetwo grooves, one half of each segment being contained in the groove inthe socket and the other half in that of the center pivot. introducedinto the hole one by one. Hence the diameter of the hole must correspondto the size of one segment. Thesegments when all are inserted formacomplete'ring, as shown in Fig. 3, so that after the hole 6 has beenclosed by the plug f the pivot cannot be lifted out of its socket. Inthe drawings the segments' are shown of rectangular section. On

their outer surface facing away from the center pivot each segment hasan internally- At a suitable point the The segments are screw-threadedhole h, Fig. 4:, to facilitate its removal from the bearing. Instead ofthe segments cubical or rectangular blocks might be employed.

If a ball-bearing is employed, on account 01": the violent jerks orconcussions in traveling the balls would be likely to get flattened andwould jam when the upper gun-carriage is turned. By securing the centerpivot in the manner described the upper gun-carriage slides with itsbearing-surface t' on the slideface j, and the surfaces of the segmentswhich have to bear the strain of the concussion in traveling are notutilized as bearing-surfaces, while at the same time the complete ringformed by the segments replaces the portion of the bearing-surface loston account of the recess. Owing to the flat pressure -surface thuscreated the segmental ring can safely take up the thrusts of joltsWithout any risk of damage to the faces of the ring and pivot taking upthe strain.

Having now particularly described and as certained the nature of my saidinvention and in'what' manner the same is to be performed, I declarethat what I claim is- 1. Means for securing the center pivot of gunsconsisting of a ring formed of separable segments seated in a spaceformed by grooves in the center pivot and pivot-bearing, substantiallyas described.

2. Means for securing the center pivot of guns consisting of a centerpivot provided with a peripheral groove, a pivot-bearing having a grooveopposite the peripheral groove, and a ring formed of separable segmentsseated in the spaceformed by said grooves, substantially as described.

3. In a pivot-bearing for guns, a pivot having a peripheral groove, apivot-bearing having a groove opposite said peripheral groove and anorifice in thepivot-bearing for admitting segments into the space formedby said grooves, for forming a segmental ring therein, substantially asdescribed.

4. A pivot-bearing for guns.comp'rising a pivot provided with aperipheral groove, a pivot-bearing provided with'a groove opposite saidperipheral groove, an opening in the I11 testimony whereof I havehereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' GUSTAV EHRI-IARDT. Witnesses:

ERNST HAMMLER, G. JOHANNES REUTEB.

